Neuroses and Video Games: A metaphor.
Pushing the conscious symptom f a Neurotic problem is never
as simple as trying to efface it entirely from consciousness. Often, the
invasive obsession is symptomatic. Sometimes, the problem has been resolved by
Intent to the best of one’s ability, and time is merely necessary for the
symptoms to dissipate and for the sludge to wash away. At other times, however,
the difficulty is persistent because the underlying crisis still brews. Often,
in such cases, consciousness is ill-equipped and in fact unwanted in the
psyche’s maneuvers to restore itself.
The Unconscious will often interfere with consciousness’s
attempts to understand Unconscious contents, as though to beseech that the ego
merely go about its work.
At certain times, however, a heroic act on the part of the
ego is necessary. Here, the mission seems to follow the design of a puzzle
level in a video game:
Symptoms of neurosis exist on the surface level like
immovable objects; crates in an attic would be an apt metaphor. The boxes in
themselves contain no items with which to complete the mission; they appear to
be dead weight. Moving some aside by an effort of basic will reveals a trap
door or square hole in the floor to the dark, deeper strata of the psyche.
There, immediately upon descent, a battle ensues with strange creatures.
Emerging more or less victorious from the fight, one reaches
the appariti that move the crates on the surface that had hitherto been
immovable. Perhaps a tool is acquired with which they can be destroyed.
An ascent to consciousness again finds us in the same attic
but a markedly transformed predicament; it may Appear identical, but the player
knows that it is not. He is then free to pass through a now open tunnel to the
next level, hopefully not looking back.
No comments:
Post a Comment